Waltz of the Gardener

Chap I: New Gardener in Mymble Estate

I can hear their footsteps behind me, the howls of their hounds, their shouting as they chase me. It's practically pitch black out here in the fields beyond town now that it's past sunset, I have no clue where I'm running, just that I have been running for a while now.

To be honest, I'm surprised I'm not dead. By now I thought I would have ran out of breath, they would have caught me, their dogs would have eaten me, or they would have shot me, or worse. I guess I can withstand more than I thought.

Although, even though I made it out to this point alive, doesn't mean I will make it past the next 50 yards unscathed, or the next 100 after that. If anything, the party chasing me is gaining on me.

I can't see anything around me, not even the ground I'm stepping on as I run.
My foot gets caught on a small rock jutting from the ground, and I trip forwards. Luckily I catch myself, and I'm able to keep running. But the next one was so sudden, one moment there was dirt, then there wasn't, and I was falling. A little yelp escaped my lips, but I quickly covered my mouth to keep my sounds from alerting the people chasing me as I tumbled down the black hill. It seemed to go on forever, the ground pressing into me as I tumbled down. Even once the ground leveled out I wouldn't stop, I had gained so much momentum. The one thing that stopped me was what seemed to be a tree in the darkness of night. I ran right into it, and I felt a sharp pain shoot through my body. I clamped my hands tighter around my mouth as I cried out, keeping my eyes shut tightly as hot tears welled up in them.

"Over there! I think I heard something over there!" I can't stay here. I take a deep breath in, nothing hurts to badly, no broken ribs or anything so that's good. I slowly let out the breath to steady my breathing as I shakily stood up. Looking around fruitlessly in the dark provided me no information, at first. In the distance, soft lights, as if from windows from a dark silhouette of an estate. No matter who's house that is, nor the chance they'll let me in, at this point they are the only hope I've got.

As I ran closer and closer, the house seemed to grow in size. When I reached the front door, even the door towered over me. Must be some mighty fine people with a house like this; they'll probably turn me away, and I'll get caught. Might as well try, I'm in a situation of life or death, and I much prefer wondrous life. As soon as I realize my predicament, I immediately knock upon the door that is far faller then myself; I knock vigorously, non stop, I cry out to be let in, for help.

The voices and barking behind me weren't getting any louder thankfully, but they weren't going away either. With how determined they've been chasing me I doubt they'll give up any time soon. The barking and voices behind me kept me distracted from the door in front of me, my head turned over my shoulder, just imagining the search party coming over that hill back there and seeing me standing at the door.

"Ehem..." a voice spoke from in front of me. I quickly whip my head back around to see that the door has opened, that a soft glow is now coming from inside the estate, and more importantly a person was standing in the doorway. A servant I presume, plain dull green dress, stained apron, dark brown hair tightly done with a bonnet- a maid, or something of that sort. She seemed annoyed, and of course she would be, I'm not exactly the sort who should be knocking on a high esteemed family's estate late at night, my dirty unkempt self doesn't even fit into the equation. But it does now, at least for this moment if this moment is all that I have.

No, nope, not gonna let that happen, not gonna let this moment be my last. I'm gonna force myself into the arms of these good people even if the great spirits wish against it. I push against her, and run inside of the estate as fast as I could so she couldn't grab me and throw me back out. I run left, into what seems to be a parlor room, looking through the windows to see if I could spot the search party; I couldn't, thank fuck. I quickly close the curtains after I look through them, I don't want them to see me in their house. I glance back to the entrance of the room, the maid closed the front door and is now standing there, looking furiously at me.